LEWES — The Fort Miles Historical Association conducted a memorial ceremony at the Fort Miles Museum on June 4 commemorating D-Day, June 6, 1944, and honored Delawareans who lost their lives during the Battle of Normandy.

Participants included veterans of WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam and other conflicts. The ceremony was emceed by Will Short, Fort Miles event organizer and coordinator, who spoke on the preparations for the Allied invasion of Normandy. 

US Army Lt, Col. (Ret.) Gregg Gause, VFW 7447 Chaplain, provided the invocation and benediction. U.S. Navy Captain David Diefenderfer read Gen. Eisenhower's June 6, 1944 “Order of the Day” to the troops as operations commenced.

Docent Program Manager Ed Paterline served as keynote speaker and provided details of the U.S. Army 29th Infantry Division, that included the names of Delawareans killed in the invasion. The ceremony opened and concluded with music by bagpiper Lani Spahr, a U.S. Air Force veteran. 

The audience stood as trumpeter Amelia Bickel, a Cape Henlopen High School junior, played the National Anthem at the beginning of the program and Taps at its conclusion.

After the program the audience was invited to tour the museum. The Museum is owned by the State of Delaware and operated and maintained jointly by Parks & Recreation under the oversight of the Fort Miles Museum LLC.

For more information, visit DeStateParks/FortMiles.